The Night Land eBook

And in six hours, we rolled the trees down to the
shore, and did begin then that I lash the saplings
across the trees, and thiswise to hold them secure
into a raft. And the midmost tree I put something
more forward than the next; and so, until that which
did be the front was shaped somewise like to the bow
of a ship. And the saplings to hold the trees
thiswise, when that I had set the lashings about every
sapling and every tree, where the saplings did go
across.

And all that day I worked pretty constant and steady,
until that Mine Own had me to cease awhile, lest that
I bend overmuch, and so to put strain upon my scars.
And I to be reasonable; but yet to go forward again
with the work; only that I did rest now, this time
and that; and so did all to prosper.

And on the morrow, which did be the sixteenth day
upon the island, I made an end of lashing the saplings
across the raft; and I set up also, two rests for
the paddles, so that we might row if we stood upon
the raft; and afterward, being ready, we gat together
our gear, and set all upon the raft.

And I put the pole that the Maid had used, also upon
the raft, and loosed the straps from that first raft,
and had the straps for our requirement, as heretofore.
And mine armour we made safe on the raft; but the
Diskos I had to my hip, as ever; and so did we be ready
to leave that little island of refuge, where we had
been so near to sorrow, but yet had come utterly upon
joy.

And surely, Mine Own did take me by the arm, and she
to stand a little, and to look with me unto that bed
of soft herbage where she had laid me, when that I
did be so nigh unto death; and she then to kiss me
very sweet and loving and gentle, and all a-tremble
with the tears and love that did stir in her; and
I to set mine arms about her in love; and so we to
turn and to put off then in the Raft.

XV

PAST THE HOUSE OF SILENCE

Now it was in the tenth hour of that day, that we
put off in the raft; and surely we found the paddles
to go very easy and with somewhat of balance in the
rests which I had set up, as you do mind; and the raft
to go forward with not overmuch of labour; so that
we stood, the Maid to the fore paddle and I did be
to the hinder one, and we pusht very steady upon the
paddles, and had the raft presently to a speed something
less than we should walk over the rough way of the
Land.

And about the twelfth hour we stopt and eat and drunk,
and went on again with our easy labouring; and truly,
when that we gat set to the movement, we scarce to
wot that we did aught more than rock something fore
and back upon our feet; and so the hours to pass, and
we to have a constant gentle speech one with the other,
and the Maid oft to look back unto me with love, and
to set her lips that she tempt me; but yet to shake
her head most dear, when that I would leave my paddle,
that I go forward unto her.